Lionel Messi has been through and done a lot in his life. It would be fair to say Messi does more in one month than the average person goes through in one year.
For instance, just yesterday, Messi scored two goals and basically guaranteed two things we already knew.
One: Arsenal is going to be eliminated from the Champions League in the first knockout stage again. Two: Messi is a damn good soccer player.
FC Barcelona traveled to England and beat Arsenal 2 - 0. Messi scored both goals, the first in the 71st minute and the second on a penalty in the 83rd. While in Turino, Italy, Bayern took a two goal lead from Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben. Mueller scored the first goal in the 43rd minute and Robben added the 2nd in the 55th. Juventus battled back for the 2 - 2 tie with goals in the 63rd and 76th minute. The first was scored by Paulo Dybala and the tying goal came from Stefano Sturaro.
This past week Cristiano Ronaldo scored yet another goal in the Champions League. It was his 12th goal in seven such games this year, and his 89th goal in the competition all time — effectively breaking and extending his own Champions League goal-scoring record.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Ronaldo and Real Madrid were having a really, really bad time. Under Rafa Benitez, they seemed to have lost every single game that mattered and, as unfair as the perception might have been, it led to Benitez getting sacked. Real Madrid appointed the unproven Zinedine Zidane as manager, and few people felt confident that he could lead Madrid to the treble. But, don’t look away now. Real Madrid just won a game that really matters, against a team that’s really good, and Cristiano Ronaldo scored a throwback goal in the process.
The18 loves to bring the most exciting players on the planet to our audience, and Paul Pogba is nothing if not one of them. We have been following him for quite some time, as he transitions from a young player looking to establish himself to one of the best XI players in the world. Check out our little homage, 18 Seconds of Pogba:
When we last reported on Ronaldinho Gaucho, it was to alert you that the great Brazilian No. 10 was delaying his decision on where to play next until after Carnival.
Lionel Messi is a bit of an enigma. He has been painted as an anti-social genius, and as the quiet but friendly force that keeps the current Barcelona power trio of MSN in balance. It’s hard to know what to expect from him — is he abrasive or gregarious in his own quiet way? — and apparently this held true when Paul Pogba met Messi.
The Champions League Round of 16 continued today with a number of goals between the two matches. AS Roma hosted Real Madrid at Stadio Olimpico, while VFL Wolfsburg traveled to KAA Gent.
Cristiano Ronaldo and co. defeated AS Roma 2-0 with CR7 opening the scoring in the 57th minute with a beautiful curling effort into the top left of the box. Subsititute Jesé came on for James Rodgriuez in the 82nd minute and, four minutes later, scored another crucial away goal for Los Blancos.
Lionel Messi set two more records today. Of course he did. Messi sets records every day, it seems. Today may have even been a down day, records-wise.
First, Messi continued to be the highest scorer in La Liga history, scoring his 300th goal.
.@ZiggoSport: “And here's the video. Number 300 for Lionel Messi in @LaLiga.” pic.twitter.com/ejuklSINAj
Poor Neymar. The Barcelona striker finds himself embroiled in a battle between the Brazilian government and Barcelona over how much his transfer fee from Santos to the Catalan giants was. To make matters worse, as a result of some (read: more money than anyone reading this will see in their lives) unpaid taxes the Selecao captain has had $50 million worth of assets frozen.
This sum includes his plane. How is he supposed to fly to places now? Charter? Helicopter? Could he be reduced to flying (shudders) commercial?